


Swept Out to Sea

by Lehuitt



Category: The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Angst, Annabeth is a little scary and i love it, Fluff, Leo is a little shit, M/M, More characters to come, Pirate AU, Pirate typical violence, Pirates, The pirate fic no one asked for, They fight and sometimes the characters you love get hurt, Will Solace POV, Will is a prince, hang in here with me guys, im sorry, will has healing powers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-18
Updated: 2017-04-08
Packaged: 2018-08-23 03:09:55
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 15,864
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8311744
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lehuitt/pseuds/Lehuitt
Summary: Will solace seems to always be attracted to trouble. This trouble comes in the form of his fascination with Pirates. Being in line for the crown under King Jupiter, who has lost his two children to pirates, makes this a very dangerous thing. But it's not any pirates Will has his eyes on and when his curiosity gets the best of him and he's swept out to sea on the Argo II, he has to keep them from killing him and meets the infamous Pirate that has captured his interest for so long, The Ghost King. Who knew he'd be so cute?





	1. The Call of the Sea

**Author's Note:**

> A pirate Au seems very Fitting for these idiots honestly. This is the very first chapter and I honestly have no idea how far it'll go but I hope you enjoy it!

Will Solace always considered himself to be a rational person. A person who relied on science and on medicine. But everyone has their dreams. 

Will’s father, Apollo, was a lord in their kingdom. As a relative of King Jupiter, Will was expected to fit into the perfect image the King demanded. While the King’s own children were outcasts, Will came closer and closer in line to the throne, a seat he very much did not want to fill. 

Will was sitting in one of the many studies in the castle, like he did on most days. Medical journals and essays were spread out on the desk, notes and quills littered around the room. Light shined in through the dusty windows, making the blonde of Will’s hair shimmer. He rubbed his eyes, breathing out a sigh. He looked around the room, making sure no one was lurking, before pulling out a worn and yellowed stack of pages from underneath the mess. 

He ran his fingers over the curving letters that read: The Pirates of the Half-Blood Seas. 

The word pirate was not to be spoken in the kingdom. They were outlaws and thieves and were seen as the lowest of all creatures, the scum of the earth. Will saw them differently. Half of the things documented on the seemed like myths or folktales, something you tell to scare children into being good. But they were very real and Will was fascinated.

These so-called ruthless pirates sailed on a shipped names the Argo II. One of the Pirates on the ship is what made the group so infamous in the kingdom to begin with. Jason Grace, son of King Jupiter and former heir to the throne. 

Will turned the page to see a sketch of Jason. He had short windblown hair, a scar on his lip, and a determined look in his eyes. He was said to be able to change the winds at will. Will remembered Jason from when he was younger. He was a little older than Will and was the perfect image of a son and a prince. After the death of his mother and the later disappearance of his older sister Thalia, something snapped. He ran and took up a pirate life. Rumors flew, some saying it was the trauma of losing loved ones, others say he was seduced by another pirate, Piper Mclean. But no one was sure. 

Will turned the Page, to the very pirate that rumors revered for stealing away the golden prince. The drawing of Piper focused on her eyes. It was one of the few drawings that had color added and without even knowing her, Will felt that it didn't do them justice. She had high cheekbones and braids in her choppy hair. Many accounts had described her as a siren and that anyone she encountered obeyed her every command. They say she came from a far off land and she was pushed into a life of crime by the discrimination that she faced. When people spoke her name, they used words like savage. But in every drawing Will had seen of her, she had only ever looked kind. 

The next page had Perseus Jackson written at the top. The drawing depicted a dark haired boy with a fierce and wild look on his face and a sword in his hand. Many saw him as the Captain of the ship, all of the crew followed where he went, trusted in his instincts. They called him Stormbringer and said that he could bend the sea to his every whim. He was feared and respected. Some even say that he was part fish himself and the sea had always been his home.

Always at his side, was Annabeth Chase. Waves of hair moved on the page, her stormy eyes boring into Will’s. She was calm, focused. She was the brains behind every battle and a force to be reckoned with. She always knew where they needed to go and calculated every move they made. Will always suspected she was the Captain and one of the few reasons they had never been caught. Accounts went back and forth, but some say even Perseus looked to her for direction. 

Will kept moving, his eyes hungrily scanning pages he had read a thousand times. The next sketch had a elvish looking boy with dark curly hair and a mischievous light to his eyes. Leo Valdez was a wild card, always moving and leaving destruction in his wake. He had built the Argo II from the ground up and took a special liking to cannons and explosives. People liked to say he would set the seas on fire if he could.

Frank Zhang was one that had always intrigued Will. They called him The Animal. His picture was a muscular man with short dark hair and sharp eyes. He was a warrior and a weapons expert and he did not fear death. Some of the few that have survived his wrath claimed that he took that shape of fierce and deadly animals. While Will chalked this up to rumors and the fear of escaping death pumping in hallucinations, a part of him wanted to believe it.

Frank’s other half came in the form of a dark skinned girl with bright eyes, light curls, and an affinity for jewels. Hazel Levesque was in charge of all the treasure and had a knack for being able to sniff it out. She was a human treasure map. By most accounts she stayed out of the violence, sneaking around the bloodshed and stealing the gold and sharing it with her crew. But for years there were accounts of her spreading plagues by leaving behind poisoned gems in lands they had traveled. They named her Sea Witch and she carried death with her.

Her half-brother, Nico Di Angelo, was by far Will’s favorite. The picture of his was less detailed than the others, it showed a mess of dark hair, dark eyes, and a long black sword. They called him The Ghost King, for people believed that he could speak to the dead and knew all their secrets. No one has ever actually met him. He sticks to the shadows, moving in and out of sight. Some believed, after a mining accident, that he brought his sister Hazel back to life and that he could control death. Some believed that he was death itself. 

Will traced his fingers over the drawing, smiling to himself. There was something about pirates and the adventure that had always held his interest. 

Suddenly, the door of the study slammed and Will jumped, pushing the papers under the books littering the desk. He whipped his head around to see his sister Kayla smiling at him. 

“One of these days you're going to get caught.” Kayla teased as she walked into the room.

Will rolled his eyes and sighed before dropping back into his chair. “I know. I just can't help it.” 

“Father will have your head for embarrassing him if anyone finds out.”

Will smiled at Kayla. “Good thing no one will find out then.” 

Grabbing him by the shirt sleeve, Kayla pulled him up from the chair. “Come one let’s get you cleaned up. You look exhausted and the banquet is in a few hours.”

Will groaned and let his head fall back as his sister dragged him towards the door. “Do we have to do this every year? It's the same people and the same food. It's boring,” He paused and sighed. “Nothing exciting ever happens.”

Kayla laughed and leaned in to whisper, “Maybe a pirate will come and sweep you off your feet,” before pulling him out the door. 

\-------

Will hated the banquet. Year after year he had the same conversations with the same tired people, all of them trying to worm their way into the Royal families. He watched as people danced and drank and ate and felt a heavy boredom sink into him. 

Most of the banquet happened outdoors, the patio lit up with twinkling lights, the stars bright above them. It was warm out. But Will could feel the breeze of the ocean against his face as he looked over the stone wall towards the dark and vast sea. If he listened closely he could hear the sound of the waves over the laughing and conversations of the party. 

Something caught his eye as he looked out. A ship. It was docked, just out of sight in the shadows. Will didn't think he had ever seen it around the castle ports before, but he couldn't fully make out what it looked like. Something nagged at the back of his mind, but he brushed it off and turned to face the party again. 

Something felt off. Every so often he’d see a shadow, just out of the corner of his eye, but when he turned, it would be gone. He looked around the room, his eyes alert. No matter how hard he tried to concentrate on the people laughing and dancing around him, his mind kept drifting back to that ship, and to that odd feeling creeping up his spine. 

A hand landed on his shoulder making him jump. 

“Are you okay?” Kayla asked, a concerned look on her face. 

Will shook his head. “Yeah, I'm fine.” He looked around again. “It's just a lot of people. I'm just going to get some air.” He brushed past her quickly, feeling her worried gaze on him as he pushed through the crowd. 

He took the stone steps two at a time, putting more and more distance between him and the party. He stopped to breath for a moment on a curve of the stairs that looked over the harbor. He could still make out the silhouette of the boat and his curiosity pulled at him. 

There was a sharp clang behind him. He jumped and turned to see a girl hunched of a bag she had dropped. A dark purple hood was pulled over her head and she leaned forward, scrambling to pick her things. 

“Do you need some help?” Will was already moving to crouch down to help, when she stood abruptly, all her things gathered. 

“That’s mighty kind of you.” Her hood had fallen back as she spoke, revealing dark skin, light curls, and warm bright eyes. She smiled softly. “I’ve got this, sir. Don’t you worry about me.” She passed by him quickly, before disappearing around the next curve of steps. 

Will blinked and shook his head. There was something about her, something he recognized. When it finally came to him, he slapped himself on the forehead and took off down the stairs, whispering “Idiot” to himself every so often. 

\-------

The ship was even more beautiful in person. He should have known at the party that this was it. He had poured over drawings of it for years. The Argo II. He should have know. But he hadn’t even recognized Hazel Levesque when she was staring him in the face. 

He creeped closer to the ship hoping to get a better look. He had seen Hazel climb on board not long ago, her bags in her hands, but since had seen no one. 

He could hear the beating against the wood of the ship and the wind rustling the sails. Laughter still trickled down and he could just see the soft glow of the lights if he turned around. 

Will crept closer, the dock creaking under his foot as he moved. The closer he moved, the more breathless he felt. The ship called to him, pulled him forward. He knew he shouldn’t go any closer, he should turn around, go back to the party and never look back. But he couldn’t he had to keep going. He scrambled up the ladder and onto the ship. Once on the deck, anxiety began to set in. He looked around the dark ship, feeling the sea’s wind rustling his hair, smoothing over his cheeks. 

“I want to get out of here as fast as possible.” A familiar voice floated through the air. In a panic, Will jumped through a door on the ship. Whatever room he had walked into it was Dark and Will took comfort in that. He kept the door cracked and watched two people walk onto the deck, still talking.

“It must be hard being back.” Piper said. Will could tell it was her by the way her hair was choppy and braided. She leaned into Jason who stood next to her, his blonde hair lit up in the moonlight. 

Jason shrugged. He seemed stiff, like how he would act around his father when him and Will were children, rigid and uncomfortable. “It’s fine. It’s just not the best place.” She placed a comforting hand on his shoulder and he seemed to lean into it, relaxing. 

Will stepped back away from the door and felt himself knock into another body. Before he could even yell, the person covered his mouth with a cold hand, pushed him into the wall, and pressed the tip of a sword into his side. 

The moonlight streamed in through the crack of the door, casting light on the dark eyes staring back at him. 

“Are you really so stupid that you would sneak onto a pirate ship?” The boy asked. His voice was coated in disbelief. 

Will tried to speak, but the hand muffled his voice. He could feel the rough skin of his palm catching on his lips as he tried to moved them. He huffed and raised his eyebrows. 

The boy rolled his eyes and pulled his hand away, but didn’t step back or remove the sword currently poking into Will’s side. “I didn’t mean to,” were the first words out of Will’s mouth. The boy’s eyebrows raised up in surprise and suddenly Will knew exactly who he was. “Holy shit! You’re the Ghost King?” He hadn’t meant for it to sound like a question and Nico shifted from foot to foot uncomfortably, his eyes casting downwards for a moment. 

Nico pressed the sword into his side a little harder and glared. “Yeah. Do you have a problem with that?”

Will laughed in surprise. “No. No. No. I just…” He shook his head. “Nothing.”

“What?” Nico prompted. 

Will rolled his eyes, his ears turning red. “I didn’t think the Ghost King would be so… cute?” 

Nico seemed taken aback, his brown eyes going wide and blinking. He shook his head, a glare on his face contrasting the blush dusting his cheeks. “I’m not cute.”

Will held in a laugh. He couldn’t help but find Nico adorable, even though he was kind of terrified of him. Kayla always said Will had a talent of seeking out trouble and boy was she right. “You kind of are, actually.”

Nico huffed and stepped back suddenly. Will found himself missing the closeness. “Friendly reminder, next time you try to sneak onto an infamous pirate ship, cover up the mop of blonde hair.” Nico pointed to his head and Will knew his ears must be blazing red by now. 

“Duly noted.”

The ship suddenly lurched and Will could feel the push of the waves. They were sailing out to sea. Nico sighed and looked up at him. “Another tip, don’t board a ship manned by Captain Chase, without an escape plan.”

Will felt his face drain.


	2. Prisoner

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will doesn't basically let himself get captured by Pirates. His life hangs in the balance and is to be decided by criminals. But maybe criminals aren't so bad after all.

Being stared down by an entire pirate crew was the most terrifying and exciting moment of Will’s life. 

They were all standing out on the deck, the wind ruffling his hair constantly and the salt air filling his lungs. Will had his hands bound behind his back with a rope that scratched uncomfortably at his wrists. Nico leaned casually beside him, his arms crossed and his expression bored. He would glance over at Will every so often, as if to make sure he was still there and hadn’t somehow run off. Which, didn’t seem likely since they were getting farther and farther out to sea. 

Annabeth stepped forward, her grey eyes moving up and down his body, cataloging threats, assessing the prey. “Jason tells us you are a relative. The son of Apollo?”

Will glances over to where Jason was standing tensely, his eyes looking at Will with extreme caution. Will looked back at Annabeth and nodded, his voice failing him in the moment. 

Annabeth nodded and turned back to her crew. Perseus stepped up, looking only at Annabeth. “What are we going to do with him?”

She glanced back at Will, and turned away again. Her blonde hair was pulled into a ponytail and swayed as she moved. “We have options. Not many of them are very good.”

“I say we just throw him overboard and be done with it!” Leo shouted from where he was hanging onto one of rope ladders attached to a mast. Hazel punched him in the calf and glared up at him. He winced and lifted his leg protectively out of her reach. 

Hazel addressed Annabeth. “He tried to help me when I was getting out of the castle. He doesn’t deserve to die.” Her eyes moved to Will. “I’m sorry about that by the way. You are sweet for trying to help.”

Will shrugged. “Not a problem.” It was an odd feeling having people decide what to do with you. Something about the situation felt almost like a dream, like it wasn't happening to him.

“We could drop him off at our next port?” Frank suggested.

“Or ransom him to the King.” Perseus added. Will could see Jason stiffen at the mention of his father. Piper nudged his shoulder gently. 

“No offense Perseus, but I’m not sure you’ll get much out of me. I’m kinda low on the list” Will said, surprised at how light his voice sounded.

The crew all chuckled, but Perseus's laugh was the loudest. “Please, call me Percy. I’m begging you.” 

Will nodded. Percy smiled at him, he seemed friendly enough, they all did. Well, all except for Nico, who was still off to the side, quietly watching. That didn’t change the fact that they could kill him anytime they choosed. 

Annabeth’s smile had fallen and she sighed and put her hands on her hips. “This isn’t something to take lightly. He is part of the Royal Family.” She turned to Will, her face serious. “You may be low on the list to be King, but you’re on it and King Jupiter has a very special vendetta against this vessel and it’s crew.” Will’s eyes darted over to Jason again. He had his head bowed and was leaning into Piper slightly. “We can’t risk him coming after us and I can't risk the life of my crew.” 

Will deflated. “So you have to dump me or kill me.” He could tell she took the responsibility of Captain seriously and she would do anything to protect her crew, even if it meant killing him. 

She nodded. “We’ll put it to a vote.” She faced her crew, her voice final and unwavering. “If we dump him, if we let him live, we risk retaliation. We risk him telling everything he has seen here.” Will wanted to protest, to say that he wouldn’t, but he had a feeling this was not the time. “We risk our lives for his.” She paused. The air felt suddenly tense, all of the crew standing in attention. “If we kill him, we are taking the life of an innocent. We solve our problem, but it will cost us.” 

The crew was silent and for the first time since he had boarded the ship, Will feared for his life. He could hear his heartbeat in time with the waves beating against the ship. His palms were sweaty and shook just slightly. He could hear Annabeth speak over the roaring of his blood in his ears. 

“The vote must be unanimous. I won't force you to do anything you don't want to.” Her shoulder’s seemed tense as she sucked in a breath. “All in favor of killing Will Solace.” Leo’s hand shot up, but he immediately dropped after Piper punched his leg, her hand reaching over top Hazel’s head. 

The crew seemed to blow out a relieved breath along with Will. He chuckled almost hysterically. “Oh thank the Gods.” 

Annabeth shook her head. “We will drop you off at the next port, in two days time.” The crew began to break up, moving back to their positions. The moon was high in the sky, but no one seemed very tired. “You will be kept in a cell to insure our safety. You will be given food and water.” Will felt himself deflate a little. He was still a prisoner after all. “Nico, take him away.” 

Nico stepped forward and took hold of his arm, pulling into the depths of the ship. It was dark, but the path was illuminated by lights along the walls. Will watched Nico curiously. His clothes were dark, contrasting against the paleness of his skin, which seemed to originally be olive toned. Will could see the dark circles under his eyes and they way always seemed to be on edge. “Are you alright?” Will asked. 

Nico jumped slightly. “I’m fine. You’re the one that’s the prisoner.” He grumbled. 

“Are you sure?” Will leaned forward slightly. “You don't look so good.” 

“Well thanks, just what I want to hear.”

Will shook his head. “No! Not- I didn’t mean-” He stammered. “Look, I’m a doctor okay? And you don’t seem too well.”

Nico rolled his eyes. He opened up a large cell door and pushed Will in. There was a bed that didn’t look too bad and window up at the top of the wall that looked out just over the waves. Nico untied the rope around Will’s arms and shut the cell door. He finally looked up to meet Will’s eyes. He looked sad. “I’m fine. Worry about yourself.”

He turned to leave and suddenly Will was struck with disappointment. “Will you be back?” Nico turned around. His dark eyes were confused and he had his brow drawn down. “To see me, I mean.”

Realization smoothed out Nico’s features and a ghost of a smile pulled at the end of his lips. “Sure. I’ll be back.” He turned again and hurried the way he came. Will dropped down onto the bed and listened to the waves beat on the wood of the ship, trying to figure out how he got in this situation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is shorter. I hope to update again soon and I might do the next chapter from Nico's POV!


	3. Ambushed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nico didn't expect for Will Solace to have such an affect on him. 
> 
> When the Argo II gets ambushed by another Pirate Ship, Will might be a distraction.
> 
> But he also might be the only one who can save the day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: It gets a little darker in this chapter. There is a lot more violence.

Nico didn’t think sunshine could take on a human form, but boy was he wrong. Will Solace, even while being a prisoner on a pirate ship, seemed to always be happy. Nico just didn’t get it. He was always smiling at him or trying to talk to him when he would take him food. Nico had decided there was something very wrong with the boy. 

“So how often do you eat?” Will asked him when he brought him a snack on the first day. He was leaning on the bars, chewing on a piece of bread. Even as he ate, his eyes never left Nico, almost as he was afraid he’s disappear into the shadows.

Nico was confused by the question, He sat back on a barrel and looked at Will. “What do you mean?”

Will rolled his eyes, his whole head seeming to move with them. It seemed a little dramatic if you asked Nico. “I mean what I asked. How often do you eat?” 

Nico shrugged. “I don’t know. When I need to I guess.” 

“I don’t think you eat enough” Will said matter-of-factly. “Here eat this.” He tossed Nico his apple. Nico caught it with fumbling hands. 

“This is for you.” Nico’s brow furrowed. “You need to eat.”

“I’m not eating if you don’t.” Will said as he sat the bread down on the metal tray Nico had brought. “Doctor’s order’s.”

Nico looked at him. He took in the lightness of his blue as and the determined set of his jaw. His face was covered in freckles and his messy blonde hair. Nico almost told him he was crazy and tossed the apple, but something in Will’s eyes kept him from doing it. He sighed loudly and took a bite of the apple. It crunched loudly, tasting sweet and refreshing on Nico’s tongue. He hadn’t realized how hungry he had been. He took another bite. Will beamed at him and picked up his bread again. “Are you happy?” Nico asked through a mouth full.

“Very.” Will pointed at him with the bread, after he took a bite. “Next time bring your own.”

Nico rolled his eyes. He took another bite of the apple and watched Will. If he’s being honest he didn't know the last time he had an actual meal. He didn't have time. At least that’s what he told himself. He didn't have to time to eat, didn't have time to sleep. Even if wanted to sleep, the nightmares kept him awake, more often than not. Will was looking at him curiously, but Nico kept staring, watching as he took another bite of the bread, moving it carefully in his hands. Nico felt himself let out a breath and pulled his gaze back up to Will’s blue eyes. Nico thought for a moment that Will had committed a bigger theft than any pirate ever had. He stole the light of the sun, encasing it in each golden strand on his head. He stole the stars from the heavens and mapped out freckled constellations on his tanned skin. And his eyes held the exact hue of the sky on a clear day, bright blue and all encompassing. 

Nico shook his head, feeling dazed. “I gotta go.” Nico sat the unfinished apple down on the tray and turned to leave.

“What already?” Will asked, his usual bright expression falling. 

Nico hesitated for a moment, his hand turning his skull ring on his finger, nervously. He stared at Will again. 

Nico heard a loud explosion and suddenly the ship lurched to the side. Nico stumbled, catching himself on the bars of Will’s cell. Will’s knuckles were white from where he was clinging to the metal in an effort to hold himself upright. Nico realized how close they were and he felt his face heat up. “What the hell was that?” Will yelled, his voice a few octaves higher than normal.

Nico heard fighting above him and began to back up, one hand already on the hilt of his sword. “Don't move, Solace!” He pointed at Will as he turned to make his way up to the deck. 

“Where would I go?” He yelled after Nico. “I’m in a cell remember!”

\---------

The deck had erupted in chaos. Swords were clashing and Nico could hear his crew mates yelling commands and insults at their enemies. The ship docked next to them was polished and the sails were red and waving in the wind. The sun shone brightly in Nico’s eyes as he searched for his friends. It felt as if unfamiliar bodies and wafts of smoke blocked his every view.

“You can do better than that!” Percy laughed at a boy with blonde hair and a scar down his cheek. They had ran into him once before. Annabeth had called him Luke and something in the way her voice had barely gone above a whisper kept everyone from asking too many questions. 

Percy and Luke’s swords crashed together. Percy was standing with his back to Jason, who was fighting another pirate. He smiled as he fought, moving with clear control. With all of things he's had to deal with, with being back at the castle and seeing family, Nico was glad he was starting to seem like his normal self again. He had always been more free as pirate instead of a prince. Nico knew that feeling.

A pirate jumped out a Nico, a knife in one hand, but before she could get to close, Nico pulled out his black sword and disarmed her with one swipe. Piper came up behind her, holding a large clay vase above her head. When she slammed it down onto the pirate’s head, the vase shattered, and the girl collapsed. 

“Nice of you to join us.” Piper teased. “Visiting your boyfriend were you?”

Nico glared at her, but there was no heat behind it. His eyes widen. “Duck!” Piper immediately dropped to the deck. Nico pulled a knife from his belt and threw it at the man holding a sword just behind Piper. It hit him right in the shoulder blade, the force of it knocking him backwards and down into the ocean. Nico heard the scream and the splash as he hit the water. 

Piper laughed and stood up. “Thanks.”

Nico pointed at her with an accusatory finger. “He’s not my boyfriend.”

She put her hands up in a mock surrender, but there was still a smug look on her face. She turned and disappeared into the chaos. Hazel was hanging from a rope attached to a mast, swinging her long sword at anyone who came too close. Frank was not to far off, swiftly switching from shooting pirates with a bow and arrow point blank, to using his bare hands. He moved with precision and every so often he would glance over to check on Hazel. 

Nico moved through the crowd quickly, going unnoticed by many until it was too late for them. He heard Leo before he saw him. He laughed manically, his eyes wild, and in his hands he held what looked like a portable metal canon. 

Nico instinctively stepped back, knowing whatever Leo was planning couldn’t be good. He pushed a button on the contraption and fire burst from the barrel, shooting out a the pirates. Screams rang out, and everyone began to scatter.

Annabeth fought her way through the crowd. Her blonde curls were sticking to her face and blood coated her hands and the dagger she always carried. She was a terrifying sight and right now her rage was directed at Leo. “Valdez!” At Least Leo had the decency to look afraid. “This ship is made of wood. Are you insane?”

“The jury’s out on that one, Captain!” He shouted. “But anything I break I will fix!”

“You damn well better!” She said as she turned and swiped her foot behind the legs of another pirate, causing her to lose balance and fall overboard. 

Momentarily distracted, Nico was struck by a sword on the shoulder, it wasn’t deep, but it stung when he shifted. He pushed the pirate back and fought them off. 

The pirates Luke had remaining, began to flee, jumping and swinging back to their ship. Relief washed over Nico as he noticed the battle was drawing to an end. 

Percy yelled out in pain. When Nico turned to look, he saw Percy on his knees, Luke standing over him with his sword running through him. Percy’s face was contorted in pain and disbelief. Before anyone could move, Luke pulled his sword from Percy and jumped ship. 

Annabeth raced after him only to catch herself on the edge. She watched at Luke landed on the deck of his ship smiling. “There is no coming back from this.” She roared over the waves. Luke's smile dropped slightly. “Next time I see, I will kill you myself.” Her voice was colder than Nico had ever heard it.

She turned and pushed her way through the group to Percy. Nico couldn’t feel anything. It didn't feel real. He watched as Annabeth replaced Jason’s hands, that were pressing over Percy’s wound, with her own. She was crying now, letting out soft sobs as she tried to get Percy to to stay awake. 

“Hey, Seaweed Brain. You’re gonna be okay.” She sniffed. “You said you wouldn't leave me remember? Percy?”

Percy smiled up at her, but his face was pale. “Don't worry Wise Girl. I’m not going anywhere.” His sentence was punctuated with a cough, blood dotting his lips.

Nico lifted up his head, when he heard banging coming from below deck. He moved towards the door. “I can help! Nico! Someone I know someone is hurt!” Will was yelling from his cell. Nico stopped and turned towards the group. They were staring down at Percy with grave expressions. 

Nico slipped through the door and made his way to the cell. Will’s hair was disheveled and he had a wild look in his eyes. He was shaking on the bars as if he could pull them out. He was hunched over slightly as if he was in pain and his hair was matted to his forehead from sweat. He stopped when he saw Nico. “I can help him.” He said quietly, his voice pleading. 

“I think it’s too late for a doctor.” Nico heard himself say. His throat dried up and his eyes stung. 

Will paused, his eyes sad. “I can help. I’m not just… I'm not just a doctor.” Something in his eyes made Nico stop.

“What do you mean?” Nico stepped back slightly, eyeing him warily. 

Will let out a breath and let his forehead rest against the bars. He looked at Nico. “There isn't much time. Please, just trust me?” 

After a moment, Nico nodded and stepped forward, opening the door. Will burst out and raced towards the deck, Nico following after.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry! I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry. I didn't originally intend to hurt Percy I swear. It just kind of happened, but boy do I not regret it. This is why the boy needs a break.
> 
> I hope you guys enjoy it despite the pain!
> 
> Also I am in love with Annabeth


	4. A Healing Light

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Percy gets injured, Nico has to take a leap of faith and trust that Will can save him, even at the cost of Will's life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is turning out to a really fun fic to write.
> 
> If you want to find me in other places you can follow me on Tumblr:
> 
> Fearfulandpissedoff.tumblr.com

Will hurried on to the deck, his heart pounding in his chest. He could feel the stab of the sword in his gut and had to resist the urge to fold in on the invisible wound. He burst out into the light, shocked looks snapping up to him. He pushed through the group, trying to ignore the sneers he received, and dropped to his knees. His hands hovered over Percy and he met Annabeth’s gaze. She glared at him with red rimmed eyes still wet from tears. 

“I can help him.” He kept his voice soft, trying not to spook her. She looked wild. Her wavy hair was stuck out in different directions and though she was covered in bruises and cuts, most of the blood soaking into her clothes wasn’t her’s. “Please?” He moved his hands slowly over Annabeth’s. She glanced up at Nico who was standing behind Will. He nodded, assuring her. She turned her eyes back to Will, something more determined leaking out into the grey. She nodded. He could feel the slight shake them as he gently pushed her hands back, replacing them with his own. She nodded again, shakily and moved to caress Percy’s head, fingers holding him gently. He was paler now, eyes barely fluttering open as Annabeth whispered comforting words to him.

Will braced himself and took in a deep breath. His fingers grew warmer as he concentrated. Gasps let out around him and he watched his own hands leak out a bright yellow light. The sting in his gut grew worse. He groaned and felt his hair begin to stick to his forehead from sweat. The color began to return to Percy. Will started to shake and he knew he must be pale. 

“Will?” Nico’s voice was soft and close by, but he couldn’t look up. Nico’s hand felt hot on his shoulder, so hot that it felt like it burned through the fabric of his shirt. In the back of his mind he knew this wasn’t right. When he had felt the brush of Nico’s hands before, they were cold, and something told Will that they were usually that way. 

Percy’s eyes fluttered open. Annabeth let out a stranded laugh and kissed him. Percy winced and Annabeth pulled back with a worried look. “Careful, Wise Girl.” He said with a grin. “I’m in a fragile state.” Annabeth smiled and carded her fingers and through his hair. 

Will pulled his hands back, feeling light headed. Suddenly the world turned sideways and Will fell backwards. He expected for his body to collide with the hard wood of the ship, but instead he felt a pair of arms holding him up. His head lolled back and even though he had spots in his vision, he could make out Nico’s dark eyes looking down at him, filled with worry. Will thought about how beautiful Nico looked with the sun shining on his dark hair that fell around his face, just before everything went black. 

\---------

Will woke up slowly. His head felt as if it was stuffed with cotton and his tongue felt heavy in his mouth. He blinked his eyes open, trying to adjust to the light. Lifting his head, he looked around. He was in his cell, a thick blanket thrown over him on the bed. The ship moved gently, rocking them back and forth. Will propped himself up on his elbows. 

Nico was sitting on a bench inside the cell, his head leaning against the bars as he slept. The position looked extremely uncomfortable, but his face was the most relaxed Will had ever seen it. Will smiled to himself as he watched the rise and fall of Nico’s chest. His dark eyelashes fluttered open. He blinked at Will, looking impossibly cute, as he rubbed one of his eyes. 

“Hello.” Will said smiling. “Sleep well?”

Nico’s face scrunched up. “I could ask you the same thing. You’ve been asleep for two days.” Nico stood up and crossed his arms. 

“Two days?” Will sat up fully and blinked. “I thought you guys were going to dump me?”

Nico rolled his eyes, but his expression was anything but light. “After we got attacked, we had to reroute. We’ll be making stops, but we can’t drop you at any port where someone would recognize us.” He stepped closer. “Plus we weren’t sure if you were going to live.”

Will sighed and rubbed his face. “Yeah, me neither.”

“What the hell was that, Solace?” 

Will looked up at him. He pulled his knees up to his chest, his nerves eating at him. “I can… do things. It’s one of the reasons I decided to become a doctor.” He took a breath. “I can feel others pain, when they get injured. That’s how I knew someone was hurt.” He pressed his hand over his torso, remember the ghost of a wound. “I could feel it. But I can heal them, it just… it transfers it to me. I take on their injuries, their suffering. I can’t do it often.”

Nico was staring at him with an unreadable expression. Will felt himself shrink back slightly. Kayla and His father were the only ones who knew about his powers. Nico was the first person he had ever told and this was the first time he had ever said it out loud. “You’re an idiot.” Nico said almost like an observation. Will looked up at him. “You could have died.” He looked uncomfortable, shifting from one foot to another and not meeting his eye. “You risked your life. It was stupid.”

Will looked confused. “Percy was dying.”

“Thank you for saving him.” Nico said, finally looking at Will, his eyes earnest. He paused, considering his next words. “But you’d risk your own life for a pirate’s?”

“I’d risk my life for anyone.” Will decided after a moment. “Pirate or not.” 

Nico nodded at this and went to open the door. He turned back around, holding it open. “I spoke to Captain Chase.” He spoke formally, as if brokering a deal. “Because of your sacrifice to save Percy, she has granted free reign of the ship.” Nico stepped out of the doorway. 

Will threw the blanket off of himself and stood, a smile taking over his face. He stepped closer to Nico. “You wouldn't have happened to put in a good word for me?” 

Nico’s face burned a bright red over a grumpy expression as he crossed his arms. “No. I-I barely know you. That's ridiculous.”

Sliding past Nico, Will let his hand graze over his arm. He watched as the other boy shivered. “Sure thing, Death-boy.” 

“Don't call me that!” Will kept walking, Nico following after. “That's not even clever.” 

He glanced back, smiling wider at Nico’s flustered expression. “Would you prefer, sunshine?” Nico huffed and pushed past him, stomping ahead causing Will to laugh. “Oh this is going to be fun.” He picked up his speed to catch up to the other boy, the whole time thinking how adorable he looked when he was embarrassed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To be completely honest, I truly considered killing Percy. I know it's wrong! But dear god causing pain was tempting.


	5. A History

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leo shares the origins of each crew member and they gear up to port to meet up with some old friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has significantly less interaction between Will and Nico, but we learn more about where everyone comes from! But don't worry a lot more to come between these two boys!!

“Get ready boys!” Annabeth said, her voice carrying over the crash of the waves. “We’ll be at the first port by nightfall.” The ship lurched to the side. “And it's going to be a bumpy ride until then.”

The crew cheered as the worked, the hectic air seeming to fuel them. Will had never seen anything like it. The wind whipped his hair back and forth, the smell of salt filled his nose, and light mists of water tickled his skin. Jason let out a bright laugh above him. He looked freer than ever, hanging from a rope ladder, manning the sails. He controlled their direction with precision and the gusts wind seemed to swirl around him. He looked down at Will with a look of delight. It was the least uncomfortable look he had given him since he boarded the ship. 

“You’re gonna want to hold onto something, Will!” He shouted. “The sea is hard to adjust to for a prince!”

“Well, you’d know better than anyone!” Jason laughed, throwing his head back. 

Piper smiled up from where she was tying knots with Leo. “We have the most royal ship in all the seas! One prince or princess from most of the kingdoms!”

Will must have looked confused, because Leo laughed and said, “What? Did you think you and Jason were the only ones?” He was covered in grease and Will suspected that the curls on his head were wild even without the wind blowing at them. He placed one grease covered hand on his chest. “Now I come from humble beginnings. My mother was a blacksmith and a damn good one and an impressive inventor for a father.” Will noticed that he used past tense, but didn't prod. “Jason, as you know, son of King Jupiter, Prince of the Kingdom of the sky!” Leo said loudly, his head tilted back to look at Jason, who only smiled and shook his head. “Now, Frank!” He said as the boy in question passed by, multiple bows in his hands. He looked up, almost shyly. “Frank, has a line, in not one, not two, but three kingdoms!” He through his hand out dramatically. “He hails from the Zhang Dynasty of China!” Leo spoke like he was presenting at a circus, his voice boisterous and unafraid. “While, it is distant a part, his blood is traced back to the Kingdom of the Ocean! And last but certainly not least, He is the son of King Ares, of the War Torn Kingdom!” 

Frank looked at Will with a nervous smile. “It's really not that big of a deal.” He looked softer than Will would have imagined. The only way anyone had ever described him had been animalistic and dangerous. Will knew this wasn’t wrong. Frank was a warrior, but now he could see that no one outside the pirates saw this side of him. 

“Now Percy! The infamous, Stormbringer!” Percy stood on the edge of the ship, balancing carefully, the only thing holding up, a rope tied to one of the masts. It looked incredibly dangerous, but almost natural for him as the waves crashed against the side, spraying up behind him. His dark hair was wet and sticking to his face. He laughed brightly at Leo’s teasing. “He is son to a true hero, a vision of person that fills us all with inspiration and wonder! Sally Jackson.” Percy laughed, his eyes bright and happy. Leo waved his hand dismissively and hurried on in a tone that no longer sounded genuine. “And also Son of the great Poseidon! Ruler of the Kingdom of all the Seas!”

Will smiled and Leo continued, his energy never failing. “And of course, Our fearsome and awe-inspiring Captain Chase!” He gestured to Annabeth who was leaning on a railing, smiling and shaking her head. The ship still rocked roughly back and forth, but no one seemed to bothered, but Will chose to hold on to a rope tied tightly around one of the masts. “While she isn’t the offspring of royalty, she is the daughter of someone far more terrifying. Daughter of Athena, the Great General, Military Advisor to every kingdom, and infamous warrior!”

“Let’s not forget our dear beauty queen! Miss Piper McLean.” Piper rolled her eyes, but a smile pulled at the edge of her mouth. Leo looked softly at her. Will could tell they were close. “A Cherokee Native American, all the way from a distant land across the sea. Daughter of Queen Aphrodite, of the Kingdom of Red. Now that woman has passion!” Leo laughed and Piper punched him in the shoulder, making him wince, but his smile never faltered. He rubbed at his arm before moving back to his work. 

Leo’s hands still moved on the knots he was tying as he spoke, he didn’t even need to look, moving with expert precision. Will felt himself shift on his feet. “What about Nico?” He asked, curiosity getting the better of him. He paused, not wanting to seem obvious and said, “and Hazel.” Both of the pirates were below deck, so Will felt safe enough to ask.

Leo wiggled his eyebrows at him, causing Will’s ears to heat up. Piper smiled at him, knowingly. “Of course you’d like to know about Nico.” She paused in the same manner he had. “And Hazel.” 

“The children of Death!” Leo said, his voice getting deeper, in a mocking ominous tone. “The illegitimate children of Hades, The king of darkness himself.” Will had only heard stories of these places, never seeing them for himself. The Kingdom of Death was nicknamed the Underworld. People whispered about the evil that lived there, about the horrors that happened there. He shuddered to think that Nico and Hazel were the children of its ruler, but at the same time it seemed to make sense. “Hazel died once, Nico saved her when he found out they were related. But Hades wasn’t supposed to know, still doesn’t. So they ran. Nico could always go back, Hades has always had a soft spoke for him and the Queen, Persephone doesn’t completely hate him. But Hazel, to the kingdom, is dead.” Leo shrugged his shoulders, his tone seemed sadder. “And then there was Bianca.” 

“Leo.” Jason warned. Tension seemed to fall over the group, making Will fidgeted against the rope he was holding. 

“Who’s Bianca?” Will felt himself ask, unable to keep the words from bubbling out. Everyone seemed to busy themselves again. Leo looked at him sadly before looking away again.

Percy jumped off of his perch and looked at him. He looked more concerned than he had when he was dying. “Bianca was Nico’s sister. His full blooded sister.”

“What happened?” His voice was hoarse. 

Percy shook his head, his eyebrows pulling together. “We shouldn’t talk about it.” 

Will wanted to know more, but he nodded. The ship rocked to the side again. Though there was still a heavy tension in the air, the crew resumed their work, lightness slowly seeping into their shoulders. 

The sun was setting on the horizon, breaking through the clouds that had covered the sky all day. In the distance, Will could make out a strip of land. “We’ll port soon!” Annabeth shouted. “Get ready crew! We have a calvary waiting.” Annabeth said the last part with a smile, a joke that Will was the only one not a part of. 

Out of the corner of his eye, Will could see Nico and Hazel emerge from below deck. His eyes felt drawn to him. Nico looked peaceful as he looked at his sister. She pushed at his shoulder and laughed before walking off towards Frank. Nico watched as she walked away and then his eyes found Will’s. They stared at each other for a moment and Will felt himself smile, unable to ignore the lightness in his chest and the tightness in his stomach. 

Nico walked towards him, his eyes never leaving Will’s. He looked beautiful and Will was frozen by it. His dark eyes were warm and Will felt like he was losing himself in them. He tried to school his features, but he knew he wore a goofy grin. “Hey.” Will said, his voice sounding way more happy than he intended. 

Nico stopped in front of him, barely a foot away. He shifted uncomfortably, his eyes moving down to his feet, a blush dusting across his cheeks lightly. “Hey.” Nico cleared his throat and looked back up at Will. “Enjoying the Pirate life?”

“Yes.” Will said seriously. Nico seemed caught off guard, but his lips tip upward slightly. “It’s better than anything I’ve ever dreamed.”

Nico chuckled and Will was enraptured by the sound. “Keep that in mind when you meet Reyna and Thalia. You might change your answer.” He leaned closer and whispered the last part and Will shivered. He watched, dazed, as Nico stepped back with a smirk and walked away. 

Will shook his head. “Wait!” He called after Nico, not wanting to let go of the rope to follow. “Who are Reyna and Thalia?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reyna and Thalia will be in the next chapter! Plus more Solangelo of course! I hope you guys are enjoying the story!
> 
> You can find me at other places:
> 
> fearfulandpissedoff.tumblr.com
> 
> twitter and Instagram:  
> @huittlauren


	6. A Rising Tension

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A war is brewing between the Kingdoms and the Titans and the Pirates have taken it upon themselves to stop it. But they can't do it alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry it's been so long since I've updated! I've had a lot going on, but I hope you enjoy this chapter!

“Oh.” Will said. He could feel his eyes widen as he took in the two girls. One was tall with tanned skin and long dark hair that was twisted in a braid, swinging behind her as she moved and the other had short black hair and blue eyes that stood out harshly in contrast. “That Reyna and Thalia.” Will felt realization wash over him. He wasn’t really sure what he expected when he entered the Tavern, but it certainly wasn’t the not-so-missing princess and a former Commander of Kingdom’s army, standing on a thick wooden table, giving a rousing speech to the wild audience that had gathered around them. 

“We are in control of our own lives!” Reyna was saying, her voice captivating all that listened. “We have all seen the malice of those who mark us as different. But we will stand united against them!” 

“And if they object, what are we going to do?” Thalia yelled, throwing her arms out. There was a wild look in her eyes. 

“Kill them!” The crowd shouted, cheered, and raised their glasses in toasts. 

Thalia laughed, her head thrown back without care. Reyna watched her fondly before her eyes shifted to the newcomers. A smile took over her face and she nudged Thalia to get her attention. Thalia’s eyes finally fell to Jason and she threw her hands up in the air again, joy radiating off her. “My baby Brother!” She hopped off the table and quickly made her way towards them, Reyna following after. 

Will wasn’t sure if Jason could breath, due to how hard Thalia clung to him. But what surprised him most was how quickly and easily Reyna approached Nico. He let her pull him into an embrace with no protest other than the roll of his eyes, but otherwise went willingly. Something tugged at Will’s heart. He found himself envying the easy familiarity they seemed to share, the way Nico smiled gently and pushed at her playfully when the hug lasted longer than necessary. She smiled and ruffled his hair causing him to slap at her hand and laugh. Will watched his expression, getting lost in the soft warmth that spread through him at the sound of his happiness. 

“Earth to Blondie.” He snapped back to reality, his eyes moving from Nico and a blush moving to his cheeks and ears. Piper was standing beside him, a teasing smile on her face. “You still with us?” She laughed, seeming to notice his distress, and nudged his arm. “Take it easy. I’m just joking.”

Will could only nod. He felt a calm wash over him at her words. His muscles relaxed and his shoulders sagged slightly in an odd release. Piper shook her head, her smile suddenly a little more tense. 

Reyna noticed him before Thalia. Her gaze turned to his and he froze. Her dark eyes, which had only a moment ago seemed warm, were now cold and calculating. “And who is this?” She asked, her stare boring into him the entire time. 

“This is Will Solace.” Annabeth answered calmly. “He was a stowaway. We’re dropping him at a less… familiar port.” She looked around at the Pirates in the Tavern when she said it. Will didn’t wish to find out what would happen if any of them discovered his connections to the Royal Family. 

Reyna tilted her head, sizing him up. “Son of Apollo.” Will’s eyes widened slightly in surprise. “You have the look.” 

Thalia chose this moment to join the conversation. She stepped up and leaned heavily into Reyna's side. “Apollo?” She asked, a predatory grin taking over her face as she looked at Will. “Why if isn’t my dear cousin Will. I haven’t seen you since you were” She tried to reach low enough to indicate the height of a child, but she wobbled slightly and Reyna pulled her back up. “That high!” She shouted, her freckled nose scrunching up slightly. 

Reyna held tightly and rolled her eyes. “She’s had a few drinks.”

Thalia huffed. “You’ve had a few drinks.” She said in a mocking tone, as if to you imitate Reyna’s voice. She deflated slightly and looked at Reyna, her eyes softening. “You’re so pretty.” She stated it as fact and turned back to the group seemingly unaware of Reyna’s blush and small smile. 

Percy laughed openly at Thalia’s antics. “Gods, you are never living this down.” Thalia replied in a very adult manner, by promptly sticking her tongue out at Percy. 

Reyna rolled her eyes and looked back at Annabeth and Jason. “What brings you here?”

Annabeth’s expression grew more serious, the gray of her eyes darkening. “We need your help.” 

 

\-------

 

They had all collected in the Back of the Tavern. The room was dark and dusty, lit only by the soft flickering of candlelight. There was a small wooden table positioned in the middle. Annabeth, Percy, and Jason sat on one side across from Reyna and Thalia. Piper stood just over Jason’s shoulder and he had reached back to intertwine their hands. Leo, Frank and Hazel sat on a bar, further back in the room, entertaining themselves with drinks and every so often casting looks over at the group at the table to keep tabs on its proceedings. Will leaned up against the wall, trying to keep his attention on the conversation in front of him, instead of how close Nico was standing next to him or the way their shoulders brushed softly when he shifted. 

“Have you felt it?” Annabeth’s grey has were stormy and focused. 

Thalia seemed to have sobered slightly. She leaned forward on her elbows and nodded. “I don't imagine there are many that haven't.” 

“Something is coming. A war.” Will could see Reyna’s experience as a Commander coming through. She sat up straight, her eyebrows pulled down and mouth set in a grim line. 

“And we are going to stop it.” Percy was the one who spoke. He sounded determined, as if he would fight the war on his own if he had to. 

Thalia scoffed. “A couple Pirates against, not only the Kingdom, but the Titans too.”

Will leaned towards Nico. “Who are the Titans?” He tried to keep his voice low, hoping he wouldn’t interrupt the tense conversation being had in the middle of the room. 

Nico’s eyes shifted towards him, but didn't turn his head. “Do they tell you anything in that castle of your’s?” Will shrugged. Nico sighed and turned to face him more fully. Will felt suddenly aware of how close they were standing. “The Titans are the Kings and Queens of old. They ruled over all the lands before Poseidon, before Hades, even before King Jupiter.”

“I’ve never heard of them.”

Nico shrugged. “No one talks about them, especially not the royalty. It wasn't the brightest part of their history. It was a take-over and it was bloody. They murdered all of the Titan’s followers and locked the Titans away.” Will felt lost in Nico’s words, his voice barely above a whisper. His eyes were dark and serious and the candlelight made them shine slightly. “A couple years ago, they disappeared. No one knows what happened or how. Hades… my Father.” He paused when he said it, as if he was unsure of the title. “Was in charge of their cages. Poseidon and Jupiter began to trust him even less than they had before. Tension is building between the Kingdoms and evil is stirring. The Titans are rising and they are far more ruthless than anything we have seen in our lifetimes.” 

“How is that a Pirate problem?” 

“Thieves always seem to fancy themselves heroes.” Will studied his self-deprecating smile and frowned before Nico continued. “We’ll get caught in the crossfire. So we picked the lesser of two evils. We were shunned from our kingdoms for being different, but under the Titans, we would be slaughtered.” 

“Different?” Will felt his interest peak and tried to keep his mind from dwelling on the images of the pirates, those he began to consider friends, being killed. 

Nico shook his head and shifted uncomfortably, looking back at the group at the table. Will continued to stare, unsure if he could ever look away. Nico’s eyes seemed to harden and his shoulders dropped slightly, a sad look overtaking his face. “Let’s just say, when you go back to the Castle, keep your … gifts to yourself.” Will felt curious, but chose not to push the subject. He turned his attention back to the group. He found Reyna looking at him coolly, her eyes searching his face before turning back to her discussion. 

“How do you suppose you’re going to stop the war?” Thalia’s eyes bore into Percy’s, but he stood his ground. 

“We’re going to take them out ourselves.” Percy’s usual carefree demeanor was gone and for the first time, a part of Will felt truly afraid of him. His green eyes were wild and in that moment Will saw the fierce soul of a man who had killed and would do it again to protect the people he loved. 

Thalia seemed unfazed by this, if anything it seemed to challenge her, to egg her on. Her eyes were electric and zeroed in on Percy. “And how exactly do you expect to do that? They would swat you like a fly.”

Jason was the one to speak. His voice was less urgent than Percy’s, yet just as commanding. He had a firm air to him, the demeanor of the King he was always supposed to be. “We only need to take out one.”

“Cut the head off the snake.” Percy nodded. 

Reyna’s eyes widened and Thalia’s mouth hung open slightly. “You don’t mean…?” Reyna said slowly. Will felt breathless with anticipation and had to fight the urge to look as amazed as he felt. 

“We’re going to kill Gaea.” Annabeth said. “And we need your help.” 

Thalia shook herself out of her shock. “You’re going to need a lot more than us.” She paused, the air in the room felt heavy. “You need an Oracle.”


	7. Oracle Extravaganza

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Pirates go to see Rachel Elizabeth Dare and they meet an old friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys enjoy this chapter!

Nico had met Rachel Elizabeth Dare before. She’s kind of hard to forget. She had bright red hair that stuck out in curls and while her eyes always looked a little distant, she felt very real. There was no class, no social status to her. She spoke to everyone exactly the same. She would throw a hairbrush at a dictator. In fact, she did do that once. Nico had been there to see it.

It was when he was younger, a young Prince, the son of Hades. It was before things got so out of control, before Hazel. Before Bianca. 

Kronos, a dictator who had supported the Titans in the first war, was traveling through the Kingdom. The Underworld was, let’s say, morally ambiguous. Kronos had a number of supporters there, but there were still some who opposed him. The Kingdom was in chaos, riots and protests had been breaking out and Nico would go out just to see what the fuss was all about. One day, there was a girl in the crowd. A girl with hair that looked like fire and a burning expression to match. Her clothes looked like rags and she was holding up a sign that said, “I had a vision of your death and it was the best thing I’ve seen all year.” He was killed a month later. 

Kronos had seen the sign. He tried to send his guards after her, but she wouldn’t have that. She chucked a metal light blue hairbrush at him and then disappeared into the crowd. Nico was still able to mark the moment it collided with the side of Krono’s face as one of the best moments of his life. 

And here she was, sitting in the middle of the woods, torches lit around the clearing. She was painting, one brush pushed behind her ear and the other poised delicately in her hand. She had her back to them, her hair running down her back. 

“I was wondering when you’d get here.” Her voice was light and playful and when she finally turned her head, she was smiling. “I hear we have a new traveler.”

Nico had expected Rachel to know about Will, being an Oracle, she knew more than she should far more often than she should. What he didn’t expect was Will’s reaction. 

“Rachel?” Will’s blue eyes were wide and a smile was slowly overtaking his face. Rachel faced him fully and opened her arms as Will made his way towards her. “So this is where you went off to? Aiding pirates and painting masterpieces?” Nico shifted uncomfortably as he watched them. He hadn’t been aware that they knew each other and a part of him felt hurt by the idea. He wasn’t really sure why. He knew Rachel. He liked Rachel. 

“As opposed to stowing away on an infamous Pirate ship?” She laughed. “The kingdom’s are going to be out of royal children if this keeps up.”

“He’s not staying.” Nico felt himself say, unable to stop. Disappointment seeped into him. Every head turned towards him. He felt their pitying gazes bore into him, but it was Will’s that stung the most. He looked… hurt. Nico shifted again and looked away. 

Percy and Annabeth walked up, dispelling the tension with easy smiles towards Rachel. They hugged each other quickly before Annabeth spoke. “So how do you two know each other?” 

Will’s seemed to fight his sad expression and smiled. “Rachel used to be an advisor to my Father.”

“The Oracle of Delphi.” Rachel lowered her tone to make it sound ominous, but her laugh ruined the effect. “Apollo always had a flair for the dramatics. I gotta say it was a pretty sweet gig.”

“It hasn’t been the same without you.” Will said. Nico felt his stomach churn slightly. 

“It’s good to see you again. You finally got your dream.” She said fondly. “A pirate adventure.”

Leo laughed loudly. “You gotta work on your dreams, man. Aim higher.” Will shook his head. 

“Oh no, his dream wasn’t just any pirate adventure.” Rachel laughed as she teased him and Nico could see the tips of his ears turning red. “His dream was to be a pirate on the Argo II. He even had a book of you guys.” Everyone was smiling, even Will who was blushing deeply and rubbing his hand on the back of his neck. 

“Aw that’s so sweet.” Hazel said. She leaned into Frank, a sickeningly fond look in her eyes. “We’re his heroes.” Frank smiled with her. 

“That’s not exact-” Will tried to say, but Piper cut him off, a knowing look in her eyes. 

“Who was your favorite?”

“I don’t think-” 

Rachel smiled softly. “He had a thing for Nico.” Nico felt his chest tighten. “The Ghost King.”

Will covered his face with his hands, laughing awkwardly. Nico watched him, feeling his own face heat up. “Can we stop talking about this?” He sounded muffled behind his hands. 

Rachel held up her hands in surrender. “Alright, alright. I’m done embarrassing you, for now.”

Will uncovered his face, his eyes darting to Nico’s for one brief moment. Nico crossed his arms over his chest and tried to ignore the light feeling that had situated itself there. Will’s eyes moved to meet Nico’s again and held for a little longer. He smiled slightly, his ears still a bright red. Nico felt the edge of his mouth tug up slightly even though he tried to fight it. On seeing this, Will’s smile got impossibly brighter. Nico felt his breath still in his throat and something swoop low in his stomach at the sight. 

Nico finally looked away, his cheeks feeling hotter than before. He turned his head to find Leo wiggling his eyebrows at him. His previous happy demeanor dropped as he looked at the elvish looking boy. Leo smirked widely. “Someone’s gotta crush.” He sang. 

Nico could almost feel his teeth grinding together. He reached up and grabbed his shirt, pulling his still smiling face down to his level. “Say that again and I’ll rip your spine out through your throat.” 

Leo continued to smile, but the confidence in his eyes wavered slightly. “Alright. Alright” Nico let go of his shirt and started down a path that the rest of the group were slowly walking down. 

The steps were made of stone and grass and plants were growing through the cracks. The twisting path was line with torches that brightened the night around them. If Nico looked up he could see the stars shining brightly through the tops of the trees. Will fell back slightly from the front of the group to walk alongside Nico. He could feel the warmth radiating off of him and the smooth slide of their clothes when they swayed too close to each other. It was enough just to stand near him. Everything felt brighter. 

Up ahead, Jason was laughing brightly to something Leo had said. They finally made it to an open area with large flower arches, tables, and flickering flames of torches and candles. There were people dancing and singing and laughing. Suddenly, Nico felt very out of place. 

Off to the side someone yelled, making everyone jump. “PERCY JACKSON!” 

Percy turned to find a man with curly red hair, freckles, and an over excited grin on his face. The smile that took over Percy’s face was blinding as he flung himself at the other boy. “GROVER!”

They hugged tightly and Nico worried for the state of their ribs. Annabeth was smiling fondly at the both of them. “I can’t believe you guys are here. You’re in for the party of your lives!” Grover yelled and Annabeth shook her head. 

“Oh, a party.” Will smiled. He leaned over into Nico’s space, making his heart speed up. “Maybe, we can dance later?” He winked and Nico’s eyes widened. If he was a weaker person, he might have swooned. 

But all Nico could do is just barely whisper, through his now dry mouth, “Yeah. Sure.”


	8. Dancing Starlight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will receives threats that mean well. Will and Nico share a dance. Everything falls apart. It's a good time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry. Sorry. Sorry. So it's been awhile huh? Wow. Long time no update. I'm a trash college kid I admit it, due dates don't matter and I really need a nap. But here!

The party was beautiful. Girls and boys with flowers in their hair danced around in loose clothes and bare feet on soft looking grass. The flames of the torches illuminated the area gently and Will could still see the stars shining through the canopy of trees above them. The twinkling of reed pipes carried through the air. Grover had the instrument pressed to his lips. His eyes were closed and he swayed gently as he played.

“It's beautiful.” Will felt mesmerized by the notes as they met his ears.

Percy leaned over, bumping his elbow to Will’s, a grin overtaking his face. He always seemed to have a playful spark in his green eyes. “You should have heard how he played when he first started.” Annabeth rolled her eyes beside him as Percy laughed, though she seemed more fond than anything else. 

Will shook his head and smiled. He watched as the Pirates danced in the center, their joyful faces felt like a relief to their previous grim expressions. Leo was twirling a girl with long caramel colored hair and dark almond eyes. They seemed to know each other, though Will had never seen her before. She laughed and rolled her eyes as Leo continued to spin her. 

Frank and Hazel danced at a very respectable distance apart, both of them blushing slightly in the low light, shy smiles gracing their faces. Piper’s laugh sprang out over the quiet music. She was on Jason’s back, her arms wound tightly around his shoulders and legs folded around his waist. He ran and spun, making her squeal with delight, wind whipping her choppy braids up around her face. Will had never seen Jason smile so much. He remembered the face of King Jupiter after Jason had ran away, the rage and the disappointment. When Will had seen it, he couldn't understand why his cousin had left, why he would do that to his father. But watching Jason now, he got it. He'd risk the wrath of all the Kingdoms if something or someone could make him that happy. 

His eyes darted to where Nico was standing without thought. He was talking to Rachel, the soft light made his dark brown eyes look warm. He was pouting, adorably so, as if Rachel was teasing him about something and his hands were twisting at the silver skull ring on his finger. Will felt himself smile as he watched him. 

“Do not hurt him.” Will jumped at the sound of Reyna’s voice, his heart bouncing unpleasantly into his throat. He slowly turned to face her. She was terrifying in every way, power radiating off of her in waves. Her long brown hair was still braided back perfectly and her eyes were calm and focused, shoulders back, chin up. She looked like the leader she was rumored to be. Thalia Grace had one elbow propped up on Reyna’s shoulder, her demeanor far more casual yet still somehow terrifying, more wild, more unhinged than the other girl. Her bright blue eyes were less clouded with alcohol and everything about her felt more intense, almost electric and so much like her father.

Will tried to put on a positive face, but it wavered. “I don’t know what you mean.”

Thalia rolled her eyes. “Yes you do.” She had always been impatient with lies, never had the time for it. She prefered the direct route to everything, no matter how much it hurt. 

Will shook his head, trying to keep himself from turning to look back at Nico. “No.. It’s not like that. I don’t- he doesn’t-” He could feel his face and ears heating up as he tripped over the embarrassing words falling from his lips. 

“Yes it is. Yes you do and yes he does.” Thalia said. Her smile seemed more predatory than friendly and her tone was final. 

Reyna’s expression stayed firm and unwavering. “I will say only one more time. Do not hurt him.” Her words felt sharp, clear cut and definite, as if Will was a child who was misbehaving. 

Will stopped, his eyes widening slightly. He finally turned his head to look at Nico. Nico was looking at them curiously, his arms folded over his chest and his brow furrowed. He looked beautiful. Will’s mouth tugged at the corner as he turned back to Reyna and Thalia. “The last thing in this world that I want is to hurt him.”

Reyna nodded, seeming to accept this answer. Thalia, however, was not satisfied. She leaned forward, invading Will’s space in a way that made Will want to take a step back, but he didn’t. He tried to avoid showing any signs of weakness when faced with the Hunter, but he was sure she could smell it on him. 

“I know we share blood Solace, but that doesn’t make us family.” Will could feel the bite in her words. She gestured towards the group of pirates scattered around the clearing. “This is my family. I will protect them until my last breath.” Will had always had steady hands, but in that moment he could feel them shake. “Nico Di Angelo is a part of that family. My Girlfriend and my baby brother, specifically, care a lot about him. So, again, do not hurt him. If you do, I’ll tear you apart myself.” Yeah, she was more like her father than she knew. 

Will tried to swallow the dryness in his throat. “If I ever hurt him, I would let you without a fight.” 

Thalia leaned back, contemplating the words before smiling slowly. Like a flash of lighting, the threat in her eyes faded back. “Okay, Solace.” She winked before grabbing Reyna’s hand and dragging her towards the others. 

Will let out a breath and tried to slow his racing heartbeat. 

“What was that about?” Nico said. 

“Oh my god!” Will spun around, clutching his chest. “Why is everyone in this place trying to give me a heart attack?”

Nico at least had the decency to look slightly sheepish. “Sorry.” He crossed his arms and shifted slightly. “So?” He prompted. 

Will shook his head, pretending to not understand what he meant. “So… Heart attacks are bad?”

Nico rolled his eyes. “Oh, really? Is that your professional medical opinion?” He teased. The lightness in his tone made Will feel a little dizzy. 

Will smiled, unable to stop it. “Yes. No heart attacks. Doctors orders.” Nico rolled his eyes again, but smiled softly. Will stepped forward without thinking, letting himself gravitate towards the other boy. “You still owe me a dance, Di Angelo.” He lifted up a hand to offer to Nico. 

Nico stared, his dark eyes wide and his mouth parted slightly in surprise. He just kept staring. Will began to fidget slightly, his courage slowly slipping away. He dropped his hand and moved the other to rub at the back of his neck nervously. “Or not. That’s cool too. We don’t have to.” He tried to smile, but his chest felt tight. 

Nico scrunched his eyebrows up adorably as if he was thinking a little too hard about something. He look around at the others and his cheeks were slowly fading into a pretty shade of pink. Grover was playing a slow melody now, the soft sound wrapping around them. Nico suddenly huffed and grabbed Will’s hand, pulling him towards the middle of the clearing where people were dancing. 

Nico turned to face him, but his eyes were planted firmly on the grass beneath them, his face faded into darker shades of red, and his fingers were tapping out a nervous rhythm at his sides. Will could feel the curious gazes of the others on them, but he didn’t care. He reached down and wrapped his hands around Nico’s, causing the boy to look up. Will smiled reassuringly as he moved one of Nico’s arms to his shoulder. He held Nico’s other hand firmly, giving it a squeeze and then placed his other hand on Nico’s waist, pulling him closer. 

Nico made a small squeak as he was pulled in closer and tried to cover it up by clearing his throat. Their chests were barely an inch apart and Will could feel Nico’s breath warm against his skin. From this close, the twinkling light bouncing in Nico’s dark eyes looked like stars. He had long eyelashes and dark circles that usually made his eyes look a little hollow, but not now. Now they looked like the infinite sky, beautiful and never ending. Will felt his stomach swoop low as Nico met his eyes and then casted his gaze down again. He smiled, soft and fond as looked down at the other boy. 

They swayed slightly to the music, not as much dancing as they were just holding each other. The breeze that blew through the trees was warm and smelled like the ocean. Nico’s eyes met his again. 

“I’m not much of a dancer.” Nico said. Will felt Nico’s fingers twitch slightly on his shoulder and then they slipped further up towards his neck. 

Will smiled. “I think you’re doing great.” Nico rolled his eyes, but his cheeks were growing red again and a smile was pulling at the edge of his mouth. Will tugged at Nico’s hip pulling him forward so that Will’s arm could almost wrap fulling around the other boy’s waist. Nico’s wound tightly around Will’s shoulders. Their chests were pressed together and Will leaned his head down slightly, causing their noses to brush against one another. Will’s breath caught slightly at the feel of Nico against him. He watched as Nico’s eyes fluttered closed and they leaned forward. Will felt a soft brush of lips and then -

A shrill scream rang out, making them jump. Will looked up to see everyone running in different directions, chaos unleashing in what was a peaceful time just moments before. Suddenly Nico was pulling him and his eyes were blocked by a thick black smoke. 

When light returned, the yelling was farther away. Will could see the events unfolding through the trees a few yards away. Him and Nico were crouched behind some bushes, out of sight of the others. Nico looked terrified and his hands were holding Will’s tightly. 

“I’m sorry.” His voice cracked slightly before his expression turned to stone. “Don’t move. Stay right here. I’ll be back. I promise.” He stepped back into a shadow and disappeared. 

“Nico?” Will felt panic rising up inside of him. “NICO!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! Turns out everyone has powers and Nico wasn't supposed to let Will know! oops? Oh well. Fingers crossed that no one dies.


	9. Departure

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry it's taken so long to update, I kind of lost inspiration in the story for a while and college is really beating the crap out of me. 
> 
> This chapter is a little shorter than the others so I'm sorry.

Every part of Nico felt like it was vibrating, shaking him from the inside out, trying to burst out of him. They were surrounded. They never saw the attack coming. He had panicked and he shouldn’t have, but the only thing he could think in that moment was that he had to get Will away from it all. 

Annabeth had explicitly told him not to reveal their powers to Will. He was so dead, not that death itself scared him, but Annabeth sure did. He had disobeyed direct order from his Captain and there would be hell to pay. 

Their enemy had been a Titan, one Nico didn’t recognize. The battle felt short and easier than some, but none of them came out of it unscathed. Nico was bruised all over his body and there was a gash on his forehead that made his dark hair stick to his skin uncomfortably. He groaned and let the tip and his sword hit the dirt, his arm too tired to hold it up any longer. 

“DI ANGELO!” Annabeth’s voice made him jump slightly and he turned to see stormy grey eyes and wild blonde hair heading straight towards him. Percy was following behind, a hand reaching out as if to try and stop her. “What the hell were you thinking?” 

“Annabeth-” Percy tried, but she shook his arm off. 

“No. I told you not to give a way our powers, are you trying to get us all killed?” Her voice was getting louder and louder. “We have kept so much of what we are a secret, if that gets out we lose the element of surprise. We lose all of our advantages. We are already outcasts. They already want to kill us! Are you trying to give them another reason?”

Nico had enough. He could feel heat boiling under his skin. “You think I don’t know the risks, Captain Chase?” He spit out her name. “He is like us! You saw it! He saved Percy’s life! I’m not going to let him die because of us.”

“We have bigger things to worry about. We still can’t trust him.”

Nico felt himself fall back. “He’s like us.” He said again in a quieter voice. “He’s alone. You’d let feel the way we felt? How alone we felt?” 

Annabeth regarded with a cold look. He knew she was trying to stay logic, trying to protect them, but he still felt angry. “You’re too attached to him. We are taking him back and now if he tells anyone about us, about anything he saw…” She paused. “It will fall on your shoulders.” 

Nico was suddenly reminded that Will was going to be returning home. He felt his stomach drop. In that moment, Will came tumbling through the trees. “I don’t want to go back.” He said quickly, desperation on the edge of voice. 

Nico kept his back to him, his eyes focused on the ground as Annabeth looked passed him and at Will. “No, Will.” Nico was thankful she tried to sound softer than she had before. “You have to go home.” 

No one spoke for a long moment. Nico closed his eyes and tried to not think about how sad he would be to see Will go. 

“I-I can help.” Will’s voice was desperate. He could how badly Will wanted this and Nico felt tears sting his eyes. He wasn’t sure if he could bare to listen to this any longer. 

“I’ll take him back now.” He said quietly. He could feel the pitying looks from his friends boring into him. 

“Nico, you don’t have to-” Jason started to say, but Nico opened his eyes and met his eyes, cutting him off.

“He knows about our powers.” Nico shrugged. “It doesn’t matter.” 

He looked to Annabeth for permission. “Do not get caught.” She warned as if Nico didn’t already know that. “Drop him at the port, not the castle. Make it quick. We will go ahead and leave our plans with Reyna and Thalia, you can meet them back at the tavern.” She spoke without emotions, but her eyes were sad before she turned away. 

Nico didn’t look at his friends, couldn’t handle anymore sympathy. He stomped quickly over to Will, who still looked confused and desperate. “Nico-”

Nico grabbed onto his hand, trying not to think about how warm it felt against his. “Just don’t let go.” Then he pulled him into the shadows and his friends disappeared.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To be completely honest I lost a little of the plot and I want to take it in a slightly different direction than I was planning. But I hope you guys like it! Feel free to comment.


	10. Shadow Travel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nico has to take Will back, but when do things ever really go as planned?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprise! I got pretty into the story again and this Chapter is a little longer than usual! Also alittle bit angstier?

Will felt the soft give of sand and heard the familiar crash of waves before he could see anything. His hand was still clutching at Nico’s when his vision came back to him. They were on a beach, somewhere Will didn’t recognize, but the ocean was a dark blue and the bright glow of the moon and the stars illuminated the area around them. 

Will felt slightly relieved that he wasn’t back home, that this beach was something foreign to him, somewhere Nico wouldn’t leave him.

He looked at the other boy and the relief left him. Nico was pale, paler than normal and the gash on his forehead was causing blood to drip through his eyebrow and down onto his cheek. Will lifted the hand that wasn’t in Nico’s to his face. Nico winced at the touch and pulled away, his cloudy eyes squeezing shut. He swayed with the movement and half collapsed in Will’s arms. 

“Nico?” Will tried to keep the panic out of his voice, tried to adapt the soothing voice of healer. He had mastered that voice before, but this was Nico. Will laid him down in the sand as gently as he could. “Nico, can you hear me?”

The boy grimaced in response, but kept his eyes closed. “M’fine.” He slurred the words, his hand lifting up just a little bit, to weakly wave Will off. 

Will tried to keep calm. “Nico just stay with me okay.” He looked around to make sure no one was watching. All he could see was the darkness of the beach that seemed to stretch on for miles with no end. He placed his hands on Nico’s chest, trying to focus on the little warmth he could feel through the fabric of the shirt. He felt the gold light flow through him and into the other boy, something he had done with countless other patients, but there was something different about Nico. There was a darkness in him, something not even he could heal, something no one could wash away. It felt like pain, an agonizing, gut-wrenching pain. It was the kind of scar you only get when you have experienced loss, and torture, and suffering. The kind of darkness Will had felt in wounded soldiers, in warriors and victims and survivors of tragedy. No one as young as Nico should ever have to be burdened with what he carried inside him. 

The gold light died out around him, the warmth going with it. The beach was dark again. Will hadn’t realized he was crying. He wiped at his eyes quickly and leaned over Nico. His dark hair was splayed in the sand and his face was relaxed, less pale than before. The gash on his head had closed, leaving only a bright pink line and the dried blood on his face. 

Will laid down beside him, suddenly overwhelmed with exhaustion. He placed a hand on Nico’s chest, watching the rise and fall of it as he breathed and let himself be lulled to sleep by the crash of the waves and the steady beat of Nico’s heart. 

When he woke up, he was lying alone. The sun was bright, but low in the sky and the day was warming slightly. He sat up quickly, alarmed by the absence of Nico laying beside him. He shook the sand from his hair and looked around. 

Nico was sitting at the edge of the water, his sword lying haphazardly in the sand beside him. The waves pushed up against the boy’s feet and then pulled back again. Will slowly made his way over, afraid of startling him. 

“How are you feeling?” He asked as he stopped beside Nico. 

Nico was staring out at the water with a cold and focused intensity. The dried blood from before was gone and the tips of his dark hair were wet. “I’m fine.” His expression seemed to crack slightly and he looked down at the sand at his feet. “I suppose I have you to thank for that.”

Will plopped down in the sand next to him and smiled, trying to keep the tone light. “No thanks necessary.” 

“I was going to die.” Nico said quietly. “I could feel it. I shouldn’t have shadow traveled after a battle like that. You saved me. So…” He kicked at the sand slightly and swallowed, still not looking at Will. “Thanks.” 

Will scooted closer, still trying to be cautious, as if he was approaching a wounded animal. He suddenly felt nervous. “Can I ask you something?”

Nico looked slightly afraid, but nodded regardless. He finally looked up to meet Will’s eyes, before his gaze dropped back down to the sand again. 

“Why do they call you the Ghost King?” It was a question he had always wanted to ask, always wanted the real answer to and now that he knew bits and pieces of the other boy’s powers, the curiosity only gnawed at him further. 

Nico let out a surprised laugh, but nothing about his expression looked amused. “I kind of… took the title?” He said as if he was unsure himself. “I have a connection with the dead. There was this one ghost, not a good guy.” He furrowed his eyebrows as he remembered. “He was the Ghost King. He had a control over me, convinced me that I could get my sister back.”

“Hazel?” Will asked even though he was pretty sure that wasn’t who he was talking about. 

Nico shook his head. “Bianca. Hazel is my half sister. We didn’t meet until later when I brought her back from the dead.” Will felt his mouth drop open, but Nico pushed on. “Bianca and I met Percy and Annabeth when I was pretty young, before the Argo II, before most of the crew. We had ran away from home. Bianca was trying to protect me because of my powers. Percy and Annabeth basically took us in and we became pirates.” He shrugged and looked out to the ocean. “She became close with Thalia, joined the Hunters. I didn’t see her much after that. One day she went on some mission with the Hunters. Percy went too. I asked him to keep her safe, to bring her back to me.” Tears were gathering in Nico’s eyes now and all Will could was listen and watch. “She didn’t come back. Percy said she sacrificed herself to save them.” 

He wiped roughly at his eyes with the back his hand. Will reached out, unsure if it was welcome. He laid a soft hand on Nico’s and intertwined their fingers when he didn’t pull away. 

Nico took a deep breath. “I was pretty angry after that, especially at Percy.” He let his head droop slightly. “So I left. I went back home. I was in and out of the dark cities of the underworld, trying to find a way to get Bianca back. That’s when I met him. I was just a kid. He convinced me I could bring Bianca back. He was just using me. I found out later that she even didn’t want to speak to me. She wanted me to move on and then her soul was at peace. There’s no coming back from that.” He laughed softly, without humor and his eyes looked impossibly hollow. “And again I was angry. I took the Ghost King’s spirit and I tore it apart. It takes a lot to kill the very essence of a person, but I did it.” He paused and looked over at Will, coming back to himself. “And that’s why they call me the Ghost king.” 

Nico tried to pull his hand away from Will’s, but Will only squeezed tighter. “You’re pretty brave, you know?” Nico finally looked at him, his dark eyes wide with surprise. “Not many people can do what you do or live through what you have.” 

Nico opened and closed his mouth a couple of time, no words coming out for a long moment. “I-I’m not brave.” 

Will rolled his eyes and pushed his shoulder against Nico’s gently. “You don't see what everyone else sees, Death Boy.” He let himself smile as Nico began to turn red. 

Nico’s expression slowly melted back into sadness and he leaned closer to Will, pressing their shoulders together more and shifting his weight against Will. “I don't want to take you back.” His voice was barely whisper. 

Will’s chest felt impossibly tight at the soft sad look on the other boy’s face. He was sad because he didn't want Will to leave and it both made him thrilled and it made him ache. Their faces were so close that he could feel Nico’s breath against his lips. 

Will leaned forward, letting their noses brush together. “I don't want to go back.”

Nico let out a shaky breath and pulled back. He released Will’s hand and stood, not quite looking at him. “You should want to go back. It's your home. It's where you belong.” He swallowed. “It's where you should want to be.” 

Will pulled his knees to his chest. “Where you’re from isn’t always your home. It isn’t always where you belong.” He said quietly, his gaze solely focused on the nervous boy in front of him, trying to will him to pay attention, to get what he was trying to say. “You should understand that better than anyone.” 

Nico stood up quickly, pulling further away from Will. He looked so defeated. “So what, you think your home is with Pirates? On the Argo II? Just because you’ve read about us?” He sounded more sad than angry, but Will couldn’t help but let the words sting. 

“No.” Nico seemed somehow disappointed at his answer. He hung his head and fiddled with the silver skull ring on his finger. Will took a breath, trying to find the confidence to get the next words out. “While I’ve been with you guys, I’ve gotten to know everyone…” He looked away from Nico, hoping he could blame the red of his ears on the still rising sun. It didn’t seem likely. “I love being on the ship and spending time with everyone. I love the ocean and Leo and Percy’s bad jokes. I love listening to Annabeth’s rants about history and architecture and how sweet and accepting Hazel and Frank are!” His tone bordered on desperate, moving a few octaves higher than normal. “I love talking and joking with Piper and how for the first time ever I finally get to see my cousins happy. I love y-” 

He cut himself before the words could come out. He paused and let his gaze fall on the boy in front of him again. Nico’s eyes were wide and his mouth was hanging open in shock, his cheeks bright red. Will stood up and knocked the sand off of himself, frustration building. He stepped closer to Nico. He put both hands on the shorter boy’s shoulder and looked him directly in the eyes. “I do think my home is on the Argo II. Not because of anything I’ve read, but what I’ve felt. But most importantly... “ He cleared his throat and hoped his voice wasn’t shaking. “I think my home is with you.” He faltered for a moment, losing his courage as Nico stared at him. “If-if you want that?”

Nico didn’t say anything. He stared for a moment before throwing himself at Will. He wrapped his arms tightly around Will’s waist and pushed his face into his neck. Will melted against him and pulled him closer. He could could feel Nico sniffle into his skin. “I’d want to that.” He whispered as he squeezed tighter. 

Will pulled back slightly, his cheeks hurting with the force of his smile. “God, who knew the Ghost King would be so cute.” 

He laughed as Nico pushed at his shoulder gently. Will got quiet. “So… I know that I want to stay on the Argo II, and apparently you want me to stay.” His mouth quirked up slightly at that and Nico rolled his eyes. “But what about everyone else? I’m supposed to be going back.”

Nico’s expression was determined. “You’re not going back.” He stepped back completely, but let his hand grab onto Will’s. 

“So what are we going to do?” 

Nico took a breath. He stared out at the ocean, his dark hair blowing gently around his face. “I have an idea.” He paused for a moment. “Do you trust me?”

Will nodded and squeezed Nico’s hand gently. In that moment, Will was pretty sure he’d follow Nico to the ends of the Earth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys have enjoyed this fic so far! Thank you to everyone who is still following it and thank you to all the new readers!
> 
> Feel free to comment!


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